Ala. Disaster Prep
Extension cords and garden sprayers were among the disaster recovery tools required by the United Methodist Disaster Warehouse in Decatur, Ala., to aid U.S. victims of Hurricane Florence. (Screencap from WAFF website by United Methodist Insight).
With floodwaters still rising in the Carolinas from Hurricane Florence, and damage assessment barely begun in the Philippines from Typhoon Mangkhut, United Methodists in the affected regions are pleading with kind-hearted people not to send any physical help.
While the urge to provide immediate help may be strong, well-meaning church folks may do more harm than good if they try to send any kind of physical goods or to volunteer in person at this stage of the disaster. In most cases, church teams could put themselves in danger in the Carolinas where some flooded rivers won't crest and begin to ebb for another week, according to a report from TV station WRAL based in Raleigh, NC. The station also reported that flooded highways prevented a professional rescue crew from New York from getting to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, NC, about 70 miles southeast of Raleigh.
Wilmington, NC, is cut off from outside help, as all its roads into the city are flooded. A Sept. 18 report from government officials warned people not to try to return to the city until Wednesday at the earliest because roads are impassable. Some roads are beginning to show signs of sinkholes into which cars could drop without warning, according to government officials.
Texas Conference disaster response coordinator, Scott Moore, underscored the potential problem on Facebook Sept. 16:
"I was on a conference call this morning with representatives from North [Carolina] and South Carolina. DO NOT SEND PHYSICAL ASSISTANCE AT THIS TIME. Due to the level of damage, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RECEIVE DONATIONS AT THIS TIME. If you attempt to send physical donations you will make the situation worse. Financial donations are always welcome. You can give financially directly to one of the UMC conferences or to UMCOR Domestic Disaster Response Advance #901670."
North Carolina Conference is posting its updates at https://nccumc.org/disaster/
Western North Carolina Conference issued a document in PDF form listing its conference and district contacts for reporting damage, and organizing donations and work teams after floodwaters recede. Other reports are posted here.
In South Carolina Conference, training for Emergency Response Teams – groups of volunteers who help remove debris and provide other help – was scheduled for Sept. 22 and Oct. 6. According to a video by disaster response coordinator Matt Brodie, South Carolina was still recovering from the effects of 2015's Hurricane Matthew when Hurricane Florence struck. This means that the need for volunteers over a long term will be even more acute. To volunteer in South Carolina, call (803) 726-3105 or email screcovery@umcsc.org
In Decatur, Ala., preparations at the United Methodist Disaster Warehouse were featured by local television station WAFF. Director Ray Crump told WAFF that he and other volunteers are gathering supplies that hurricane victims will need most to begin recovery after the floods have subsided. He listed supplies and equipment such as box fans to help dry out flooded houses, 25-foot extension cords, two-gallon garden sprayers to spray for mildew after floodwaters recede, and two-wheel wheelbarrows for hauling out drenched carpet, carpet pads, sheetrock and insulation.
Crump also asked chainsaw crews and other teams and individuals to consider volunteering after floods go down because "this thing is going to go on for weeks." For those within driving distance, the United Methodist Disaster Warehouse is located at 3220 Highway 31 S, Building F in Decatur, Ala., telephone (256) 341-9961.
In the Philippines, three disaster management coordinators trained by the United Methodist Committee on Relief are on scene in Luzon, where Super Typhoon Mangkhut landed, according to a New York Times quote from UMCOR spokesman Dan Curran.
Five Hazards from Floodwaters
There are at least five good reasons for waiting to help hurricane victims, and they all have to do with safety for both volunteers and victims, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
1. Don't drive through flood water. There's no way to tell what's underneath the surface, so a vehicle could be submerged in seconds. Follow the rule: "Turn around, don't drown."
2. Avoid infectious disease from dirty water. Floods pick up all kinds of contaminants, from sewage pipes and septic tanks to hazardous household chemicals and petroleum products.
3. Avoid displaced animals both tame and wild. Even a normally friendly dog or cat, when stressed by a big storm, will attack in fear if approached. Wild animals are even more dangerous.
4. Hidden hazards such as debris can harm you. As with driving into floodwaters, there's no way to tell what's below the surface. Submerged trees, traffic signs, even vehicles; undetected sinkholes; and wild animals such as alligators could lurk in the flood.
5. Live electrical wires are everywhere after a major storm. Often they can be hidden under water or debris and cause electrocution when touched.